One by One
by Jeniveela
Summary: A poem from the point of view of one of (who I believe is) the least written about characters: the boatman who takes people to the Land of the Dead...


A/N: Hello, this is Jeniveela. This is my first HDM ficclet. It's just an odd poem I wrote at an odd hour when I was thinking about one character which not many HDM fanfics are written about, the boatman that took Lyra and Will to the Land of the Dead. This poem is from his point of view.  

Disclaimer: I don't own the 'His Dark Materials' series or any characters, places, things, etc. affiliated with the series. No, they belong to the wonderfully talented Phillip Pullman…

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me.

They all shall come eventually.

The young, the old,

The cowards, the heroes bold,

The thieves, the liars,

The preachers, the friars,

The rich, the poor…

They all come, and still I wait for more

On this barren, gloomy shore.

They shall all share the same fate,

To be taken to Death's dark gate…

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me

To be taken away to Eternity.

Some come quietly.

Some do not.

I can't count how many time I've

Been bribed or fought.

But your mortal money and force

Cannot stop you from taking this course.

It's a journey all mortals must make

After their lives are over and are Death's to take.

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me.

They all shall come eventually.

The young, the old,

The cowards, the heroes bold,

The thieves, the liars,

The preachers, the friars,

The rich, the poor…

They all come, and still I wait for more

On this barren, gloomy shore.

They shall all share the same fate,

To be taken to Death's dark gate…

~*~*~*~*

Some of them plead,

And some of them cry.

Some of them can only wonder why

It was their time to die…

I cannot offer solace; I don't really know.

All I can do is remain silent and row

To take them to Death's black wall

That beckons them with a silent call…

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me.

They all shall come eventually.

The young, the old,

The cowards, the heroes bold,

The thieves, the liars,

The preachers, the friars,

The rich, the poor…

They all come, and still I wait for more

On this barren, gloomy shore.

They shall all share the same fate,

To be taken to Death's dark gate…

~*~*~*~*

What happens in that dark place beyond the gate?

I just know after they've completed the route

They are in Death forever; they cannot get out.

There are only four who claimed they'd accomplish that feat.

It was purely by chance that we could meet.

A girl, a boy, and two Gallivespians, all still alive…

All of them insisted they'd go through Death and survive.

They insisted that they would get out,

That they would come back.

Who was I to argue with that?

All I knew was that all I've taken

Have never returned.

This is a lesson that is hard learned.

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me.

They all shall come eventually.

The young, the old,

The cowards, the heroes bold,

The thieves, the liars,

The preachers, the friars,

The rich, the poor…

They all come, and still I wait for more

On this barren, gloomy shore.

They shall all share the same fate,

To be taken to Death's dark gate…

~*~*~*~*

Perhaps they did escape.

I've yet to see them come back.

But since they've gone, 

I've noticed one thing the Dead now lack.

They no longer look as worried or attack

As if they know what's ahead

In the Land of the Dead 

Where they are now led.

They almost look as if they have…hope…

As if they know Death; they can cope.

Perhaps They made this change come about.

Perhaps They found the way out.

Perhaps this is what helps the Dead cope…

Perhaps this is what gives them…hope…

~*~*~*~*

One by one, they come to me.

They all shall come eventually.

The young, the old,

The cowards, the heroes bold,

The thieves, the liars,

The preachers, the friars,

The rich, the poor…

They all come, and still I wait for more

On this barren, gloomy shore.

They shall all share the same fate,

To be taken to Death's dark gate…

~*~*~*~*

But perhaps Death's gate is no longer locked.

Perhaps all the exits are no longer blocked.

Perhaps there is a way into the world of Life

Where the Dead can be reunited,

A brother and his sister,

A husband and his wife…

Perhaps this is what gives them hope;

That Death does not last forever,

That one day, they will all be together.

Even as I bring them to Death,

One by one, I feel that they are not to stay forever.

No, they will pass through Death like a bad dream,

And see that it was not as bad as it seemed

Because once they awake from this bad dream,

They will be greeted by the rising sun

And the coming of a beloved one

Who shall eventually come…

As I bring them…

One…by…one…

~*~*~*~*

Please, please, please read and review! I will be very happy if you review, even if it is to send me a flame (though I prefer good reviews better)! Thanks! ^_~


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